How to Remove Hard Water Deposits From Aluminum

Hot water appliances will have the most issues with calcium deposits.

If you notice mineral deposits in the bottom of your aluminum cookware, the culprit is probably your water. The tap water in some municipalities contains cations with a charge of +2. These cations will react with other chemicals when exposed to heat and form insoluble deposits in the bottom of the container. Since these deposits don't dissolve in water, you'll need to add a light acid to break them down, and then you can scrub them away.

Things You'll Need

• Cream of tartar
• Water
• Dish detergent
• Rag

Instructions

1. Fill the aluminum container with water. If you are cleaning something that does not hold water, fill a large container with water and place the aluminum piece inside of it.

2. Add 2 tbsp. cream of tartar for each quart of water in the container.

3. Heat the container until the water boils. Allow it to simmer for ten minutes.

4. Empty the container and wash it as you normally would. The hard water deposits should scrub away. You can repeat the entire process if there are still a few deposits left.

Tips & Warnings

• If you don't have any cream of tartar, you can substitute white vinegar. Use an equal amount of white vinegar and water instead of water and cream of tartar. You may need to go through the process several times with vinegar for exceedingly hard deposits.

References

• Michigan State University Extension: Homemade Cleaners
• Pacific Northwest Extension: Using and Caring for Your Pressure Canner
• New Mexico State University Cooperative Extension Service: Selection and Use of Home Cleaning Products
• Washington University in St. Louis: Water Hardness